Ah, so you’re going to find Brother Bai. Going to the fashion show is because Brother Bai is there.
Wang Zhan rested his hand on the edge of the seat. “Study God, you’re planning to go too? I saw some promotional pictures online.”
Qiao Huaiyao asked, “Are you interested?”
Wang Zhan shrugged. “I’m just a bit curious. My uncle has a ticket and is taking his daughter. These tickets aren’t sold to the public. I wanted to buy a few to take my buddies, but I didn’t get the chance.”
Tickets that can’t be bought even with money—Wang Zhan could only look at the promotional pictures.
Qiao Huaiyao tapped his fingers lightly, speaking nonchalantly, “If you want to watch, you can come with me later.”
He didn’t have a ticket either, but everyone who manages their family’s companies, big or small, knows who he is. Moreover, the butler would arrange everything. He didn’t have to worry about the tickets.
Wang Zhan’s eyes brightened. “Since Brother Bai is invited, there must be a lot of complimentary tickets, right?”
Qiao Huaiyao swiped his phone screen and said, “I’m not sure. There should be some, I guess.”
“Huh?” Wang Zhan scratched his head, sensing a logical gap. Shouldn’t you know there are complimentary tickets before taking us in?
Yu Luofan tugged at his clothes, pulling him away from nearly sticking his head into the front seat gap, and silently handed him a phone.
“Why are you pulling me? I’m talking to the Study God.” Wang Zhan grumbled, “Whose phone is this? It’s not mine.”
His phone was in his hand. What was Yu Luofan doing?
Puzzled, Yu Luofan gestured for him to look at the phone’s content.
Wang Zhan focused on the screen. Oh, the brand for the winter show, hmm… huh?
Wang Zhan: “…”
I’m not saying anything.
Previously, when talking about a wide industrial chain, he didn’t have a clear concept of “wide.” Now, he understood it quite well. Very wide, indeed.
They left the international laboratory in a special car and returned to the meeting place from the morning. The car arranged by the butler was waiting there.
Qiao Huaiyao asked, “Is everyone going?”
Qiu Shufeng waved his hand. “I haven’t slept all night. I’m too tired and need to catch up on sleep. Those two can go.”
Wang Zhan was about to say he’d join when he remembered he had forgotten something. “Study God, you go ahead. I need to grab something first.”
Yu Luofan also said, “I need to go back first too.”
Qiao Huaiyao nodded. “If you’re heading back, just ask the butler to arrange it.”
Wang Zhan waved, smiling. “Alright.”
…
Although they left the laboratory earlier than expected, it wasn’t that early. Bai Jinyan hadn’t left yet, and he was chatting about his progress on the phone.
As soon as Qiao Huaiyao’s car stopped, the manager, who had been waiting nearby, approached with a smile and opened the door. “Good afternoon, young master.”
“The seats have been arranged, right next to Brother Bai.”
The higher the level of the show, the higher the standards for the audience. Any slight mistake could affect the brand’s reputation, so the seating was relatively spacious. Knowing that Qiao Huaiyao was coming, the manager had arranged for him to sit next to Bai Jinyan. It was the best spot for watching the show, and being next to a friend made it even better.
Qiao Huaiyao was not wearing high-end fashion, just a simple outfit he had picked from his suitcase. After all, he had visited the lab first, and high-end fashion wouldn’t have been appropriate.
“Young master, I have arranged for some traditional Chinese tea and snacks, as well as some Western-style afternoon tea.” As they walked in, the manager continued, “Is there anything else you’d like to eat today, or anything else you need? I can have it prepared.”
Qiao Huaiyao replied calmly, “No need.”
“Alright.”
The manager walked ahead, signaling with his hand. The path to the inner area was completely cleared for Qiao Huaiyao’s convenience. Saying he wasn’t nervous would be a lie. As he walked, he noticed a corner of the carpet was slightly lifted, so he pressed it down firmly to ensure Qiao Huaiyao wouldn’t trip. A single misstep could mean a resignation letter.
By the time they reached the end of the short path, the manager’s forehead was sweating. Fortunately, the dim lighting inside concealed his nervousness.
“This way, watch your step on the stairs.”
The first row had few people, but it was still the best spot, right in the center facing the runway.
There were still quite a few people on both sides.
For those trying to gain attention and camera time, the first row is naturally the best spot.
In the back row, you might not even get filmed.
However, sitting in the front row is not easy. Those seats are for influential people, and in the center, the organizers constantly adjust camera angles.
If they spot someone in the wrong seat, security will promptly escort them out, regardless of whether the show is ongoing or your status. This can bring unwanted attention and humiliation; it’s not the way to become famous.
The organizers are very strict. Only a foolish minor celebrity would try to sit in the center.
As a result, the middle area is noticeably empty when viewed from the back. Each person is separated by two or three seats, with an especially large gap next to Bai Jinyan.
Before Qiao Huaiyao arrived, a table had already been placed next to Bai Jinyan’s right side, filled with afternoon tea, which looked quite out of place in the setting of the show.
Qiao Huaiyao called out, “Brother.”
“Mhm.” Bai Jinyan extended his hand, and Qiao Huaiyao instinctively placed his hand in his brother’s. Bai Jinyan held his slightly cool fingers and guided him to sit beside him. “Why are you here so early?”
When the manager set up the afternoon tea, Bai Jinyan guessed that Qiao Huaiyao would come. They had talked about the time while chatting, and Qiao Huaiyao had still been at the lab then. He hadn’t expected him to arrive so quickly.
“The lab tour ended early, so I came over,” Qiao Huaiyao said, leaning his head on Bai Jinyan’s shoulder. “What do you think of the show?”
Bai Jinyan, who had been preoccupied with chatting with Qiao Huaiyao and interacting with fans on Weibo, glanced at the petals on stage and replied, “It’s good.”
Feeling that this praise was too perfunctory, he added, “Very artistic.”
Qiao Huaiyao listened and seemed to sense something, subtly suppressing a smile. He then asked, “Which do you prefer, the trench coat from the fifth look or the down jacket from the seventh?”
Bai Jinyan, playing with Qiao Huaiyao’s hand, casually replied, “The trench coat?”
As soon as he spoke, Bai Jinyan realized that the earlier outfits had been showcased at the beginning of the show.
Qiao Huaiyao was still at the lab at that time; he couldn’t have seen the show.
Bai Jinyan slowly lowered his gaze and noticed the smile on Qiao Huaiyao’s face.
Qiao Huaiyao’s eyes crinkled with mischief. “I also think the trench coat is better.”
As soon as he finished speaking, he felt a sudden tightness around his waist.
Qiao Huaiyao froze, the corners of his mouth still slightly raised. Without warning, he leaned forward, his hand landing on Bai Jinyan’s shoulder, his eyes filled with surprise as he looked up.
Bai Jinyan discreetly steadied him, pinching his cheek. “We’ll talk later…”
The rest of his words faded as warm breath brushed past Qiao Huaiyao’s ear, seemingly planting a light kiss.
Under the dim lighting, Qiao Huaiyao’s ears turned a faint pink, then deepened to a bright red.
After being released, he quietly leaned back on Bai Jinyan’s shoulder, noticing the nearby neck.
…I should bite him!
Qiao Huaiyao poked Bai Jinyan’s leg with his finger.
Bai Jinyan reached to catch his hand, but Qiao Huaiyao quickly pulled it back. When Bai Jinyan missed, he pressed his hand down on Bai Jinyan’s.
Bai Jinyan raised an eyebrow, and when Qiao Huaiyao wasn’t looking, he mirrored his action and pressed his hand down on Qiao Huaiyao’s.
Childish antics.
They kept playing this game of pressing each other’s hands for a while.
Finally, Bai Jinyan grasped Qiao Huaiyao’s hand, interlocking their fingers and resting their hands on his leg.
Gently rubbing his thumb over Qiao Huaiyao’s hand, Bai Jinyan said, “See anything you like?”
These were new, unreleased designs.
If Qiao Huaiyao liked any, they could be custom-made just for him, with only one piece produced.
Qiao Huaiyao shook his head. “There are plenty of clothes at home.”
All tailored to his measurements, from high-end designers. Once the garments were ready, they were sent straight to his home.
The frequency of these deliveries was high, and his wardrobe was full of clothes he hadn’t even worn once.
Qiao Huaiyao wasn’t the type to discard clothes after a single wear; he was quite frugal.
Bai Jinyan picked up a piece of strawberry cake from the table and cut a small piece with a fork. “Here.”
Qiao Huaiyao took a bite and found it quite tasty.
The red velvet cake was soft and rich, complemented by light cream and sweet strawberries, not too heavy or overly sweet.
Qiao Huaiyao said, “This is delicious.”
“Then have some more.” Bai Jinyan fed Qiao Huaiyao while sifting through the cards below, trying to find a brand name or anything identifying the bakery.
But there was nothing. The person who brought the cake had removed all tags and labels.
Bai Jinyan took a photo and sent it to the manager.
Qiao Huaiyao took the fork from Bai Jinyan, leaned back in his chair, and ate the cake in small bites.
As for the camera facing the audience…
Qiao Huaiyao texted: [Please edit me out of this segment.]
The manager replied instantly: [Got it, young master! By the way, young master, here are the positions of our cameras, surveillance, and live broadcast equipment. Most of the live broadcast equipment is aimed at the stage, but it may occasionally sweep over the audience. When you came in, we had already set the smart live broadcast to avoid your location. If you have any issues, please contact me immediately.]
Qiao Huaiyao: [Okay.]
There probably weren’t many people watching the live stream of the show.
Especially with international shows, they are mostly recorded and edited before being released domestically. The process for cross-border live streaming is cumbersome, and entering the live stream is also troublesome.
Just now, Qiao Huaiyao kept an eye on the cameras, and they shouldn’t have caught him.
To be safe, he opened Weibo to check.
The discussion was still about Bai Jinyan’s red carpet photos.
Nothing else.
After just a short while off Weibo, Bai Jinyan’s studio account posted his red carpet look.
It wasn’t evening or the next day yet, so the studio only had blurry red carpet photos, among which was a clear selfie of Bai Jinyan.
The one Qiao Huaiyao posted had been retweeted by the studio and then saved to create a compilation.
The funniest part was the content posted by the studio.
Bai Jinyan Studio V: [The photo editor cried while holding the only clear photo in the C position, crying and shouting Qiao Huaiyao for help. ]
The comment section was full of laughter: [Let’s say, in the official photo, Bai Jinyan looks dashing, unconventional, and uncatchable. But in the selfie for his wife, he focuses on the clothes, expressions, and makes sure the phone doesn’t block his face.]
[It feels like Bai Jinyan’s selfie exudes the charm of a cold, disdainful peacock, seemingly aloof but actually spreading his tail feathers and shouting for his wife to look at him. Haha, I’m really laughing so hard.]
[I’ve never seen this side of Bai Jinyan. Usually, his Weibo activity… oh, that lazy guy’s Weibo posts are all done by others. Not even a photo taken by someone else, just screenshots from dramas, let alone selfies.]
[Qiao Qiao’s Weibo post was even retweeted and liked by Bai Jinyan. Instead of watching the show properly, you were playing with your phone in the audience.]
…
Qiao Huaiyao chuckled softly as he looked at the comments gradually turning into jabs at Bai Jinyan. “Brother, look.”
Bai Jinyan didn’t care and continued to feed Qiao Huaiyao afternoon tea. “Try this. It seems to be fruit tea.”
Prepared according to Qiao Huaiyao’s taste, a variety of new products were ready.
They all wouldn’t taste bad, it just depended on whether Qiao Huaiyao liked them.
Qiao Huaiyao took a sip, then paused suddenly.
The taste of the fruit tea was very…
The tea’s flavor was very average, so Qiao Huaiyao pushed the cup a little farther away.
Seeing this, Bai Jinyan put it back on the table and handed him another cup.
The models on stage walked steadily to the accompaniment, showcasing both men’s and women’s styles, centered around seasonal themes.
To ensure the overall presentation of the clothes, the organizers did not split the models into separate shows but decided the sequence based on the outfits.
When Bai Jinyan picked up a napkin, he glanced at a model on stage and noticed the brooch on his chest, frowning immediately.
He remembered that besides the necklace, the brooch should be almost finished.
The material for the brooch was special and took a lot of time to acquire.
So, its completion was later than the necklace.
The manager hadn’t mentioned the brooch when he paid earlier, indicating that he only paid for the necklace.
In a foreign country, penniless, Bai Jinyan pondered and then wrapped his arm around Qiao Huaiyao’s shoulder.
Leaning close, he whispered in Qiao Huaiyao’s ear, “Baby, can I get an advance on my pocket money?”